Closure details

From 5 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the southbound 73 will be closed from the I-405 to the 55. From the 55 to Jamboree Road, the southbound 73 will be closed between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Along the northbound side, the 73 is scheduled for closure from Jamboree Road to Campus Drive between 12 to 7 p.m. on Saturday and between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Production of a Warner Bros. film will shut down the 73 between the I-405 and Jamboree Road on Oct. 20 and Oct. 21.

The closure, which begins at 5 a.m. Saturday, sparked a nerve with Costa Mesa councilman Steve Mensinger, who says the production will disrupt area businesses, while the county's film commission says it will help stimulate the local economy.

Mensinger said while the closure is needed for filming "The Hangover Part 3," the agencies involved, such as Caltrans, should have been more forward with the public regarding the purpose of the closure.

"These roads in particular mean something to local businesses and I just think it's wrong for people to come in and do that without adequate input and adequate mitigation for local businesses," Mensinger said.

Caltrans announced the closures on Oct. 9 and only said the work is necessary for "permit work." Gloria Roberts, a Caltrans spokeswoman, did not specify other permit details and said the closure is being coordinated with the cities of Irvine, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.

"These cities have full knowledge regarding the permit work that will necessitate the closure," Roberts said on Friday.

Mensinger called the project "disingenuous" because he said Caltrans indicated the closure as a road improvement.

Janice Arrington, an Orange County film commissioner, said film production needs to be kept confidential for safety reasons. Arrington also did not disclose details of the permit.

"We try to keep that very much quiet because filming can be disruptive even to the point of becoming unsafe when we get a lot of spectators," Arrington said. "We can get thousands coming out to see what's happening."

Arrington also stressed how the making of a movie in Orange County is good for economic development. Arrington said film production has slowed statewide and in Orange County.

"Whenever a feature film comes to town, they go to most of the supply stores like the Home Depots because they end up getting things that they need ... like rope or pieces of wood or cardboard," Arrington said. "So quite a bit of filming dollars get spent all throughout a city where the filming is taking place."

Regarding filming closures, Arrington said: "We plan well ahead to make sure we're filming on the least busy day ... we try to get the shortest hours for filming."

However, Arrington added: "We need to have a perimeter around what's being filmed in part for safety."

Because the closure could impact toll revenues, the Transportation Corridor Agency board approved a contract with Warner Bros. that will result in payments to the agency.

The agreement has a potential value greater than $25,000, according to an August staff report.

"The movie production company is giving the TCA money that offsets the loss of tolls, but they're not paying for any of the impacts in the local community," Mensinger said. "That doesn't sit well with the taxpayer."

Recent films shot in Orange County include "Savages" in Laguna Beach and "J.Edgar," which had scenes shot at the Old Courthouse in Santa Ana.

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